Peak vs Notch Lapel: Which Should You Choose?

The peak vs notch lapel decision is one of the first you make when you buy or commission a suit, and one of the most visible. Both are correct. The difference is formality and character: the notch is quiet and versatile, the peak is sharper and more formal.

What is the difference between peak and notch lapels?

The difference is the shape where the lapel meets the collar. A notch lapel meets the collar at an angle and leaves a wedge-shaped gap, the notch. A peak lapel has no open notch: its upper edge sweeps up into a point that rises toward the shoulder and nearly touches the collar.

Peak vs notch lapel compared

Are peak lapels more formal?

Yes. Peak lapels are more formal than notch lapels, because they come from formal dress: the evening tailcoat still has them, and they are one of the two traditional lapels on a dinner jacket. On a suit, a peak lapel adds a degree of formality without changing anything else. A charcoal single-breasted suit with peak lapels looks dressier than the same suit with notches.

Fabric still matters more than lapel shape. A peak lapel on a tweed jacket is less formal than a notch lapel on a navy worsted suit. Think of the lapel as a step up or down within the formality the fabric has already set.

Can you wear peak lapels to work?

Yes, in most offices. A single-breasted or double-breasted suit with peak lapels is entirely correct business wear with a long history. In very conservative settings, or at a job interview where you want nothing to distract, a notch lapel is the safer choice simply because it draws less attention. If peak lapels are your everyday style, keep them to a moderate width in navy, charcoal or gray, and they will look confident rather than showy.

Do peak lapels make you look taller?

They can help a little. The upward line of a peak lapel draws the eye up toward the shoulders and face, and the points broaden the chest, which together can make you look slightly taller and stronger through the upper body. The effect is modest. Correct jacket length, a fastening button at the natural waist and trousers with little break do far more for apparent height.

Can a single-breasted suit have peak lapels?

Yes. Peak lapels on a single-breasted suit are correct and have a long history in English tailoring. They make a single-breasted suit look dressier and more distinctive, which suits weddings, evening events and men who wear suits often and want some variety. The one-button single-breasted dinner jacket with peak lapels is a black tie classic. For a first or only suit, notch lapels are still the more practical choice.

Can a double-breasted suit have notch lapels?

It can, but it is unusual and tends to look unfinished. The wide, closed front of a double-breasted jacket needs the upward sweep of a peak to balance it; a notch on that front tends to look low and heavy. If you want a double-breasted suit, choose peak lapels. Our guide to single vs double-breasted suits covers the rest of that choice.

How do lapels and button styles combine?

The lapel works together with the number of buttons and the front of the jacket, so judge the combination rather than the lapel alone. Some pairings are classics, some are deliberate statements and a few rarely look right.

If you are weighing a double-breasted suit, our guide to how to wear a double-breasted suit covers the button configurations and how they change the lapel roll.

Which lapel suits your build?

Both lapels suit most builds when they are cut in proportion. Width matters more than type: keep either lapel in proportion to your shoulders, and the type becomes a question of taste and formality.

• Shorter men: a peak lapel of moderate width draws the eye upward. Avoid wide peaks, which shorten the torso.
• Slight, narrow-shouldered men: a modest peak can add welcome breadth, but a wide one overwhelms. A notch is the easier choice.
• Broad or heavier men: both work. Keep the lapel generous enough to balance the chest, about 3¼ to 3½ inches (8.5 to 9 cm).

What shirt and tie go with each lapel?

Peak lapels look best with a spread or semi-spread collar and a tie whose width matches the lapel at its widest point; the stronger lapel needs a collar and knot with enough presence to hold their own. A narrow point collar can look pinched beneath wide peaks. Notch lapels are more forgiving: they sit happily over point, semi-spread and spread collars, and over a button-down on a sport coat. Our guides to shirt collars and tie width explain how to match each.

Peak or notch for a wedding or black tie?

For black tie, choose peak or shawl lapels faced in satin or grosgrain; a notch-lapel dinner jacket is acceptable but the least traditional choice. For a wedding, either lapel works on a suit; peaks look dressier, which suits a groom or a formal evening wedding. The table gives the choice by occasion.

For more on dressing a groom and wedding party, see our guide to wedding suits, and for evening dress, our guide to black tie.

What a good tailor checks on a peak or notch lapel

A lapel looks right when both sides match, it rolls softly and its proportions follow your shoulders. A good tailor checks:

For gorge height, roll, belly and the shawl lapel, read our full guide to suit lapels, and for every other named detail on a jacket, see the parts of a suit jacket. If you want a lapel cut to your shoulders, our ranking of the best tailors in London is a good place to start.

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